When was the last time you read a book (or blog post – hey look, you’re doing that now!)?
What about watching a live sports game or Youtube video? Or maybe you visited an art gallery or watched a live band?
Maybe it was a simple as seeing someone’s flourishing garden and desiring to grow your own food one day.
Through this process, did you stop to admire someone else’s talent, workmanship or skill?
You probably felt a pang of a admiration, jealousy even. You’re left wondering what they have that you do not. Maybe you even whispered a silent promise to go home and do something similarly inspirational.
These solemn promises we make to ourselves time and time again do little to produce the result we desire.
The only thing separating you from these other people who are out there doing what you’ve only ever been dreaming of, is that they made the decision to be a creator.
Rather than simply a consumer.
You were birthed into this world as dependent consumers. You relied on your mothers to keep you alive. To feed you, provide shelter and love.
The problem?
We never left behind this consumerist mindset when we grew up.
As we progressed through life, society, the Big Bad Wolf, whatever invisible, vague label you want to slap on it, did everything to maintain this attitude. That’s what makes money.
But it’s your choice now, knowing better, whether you stay stuck.
When you’re forever looking for the next thing to entertain you, you’re passively watching life as a bystander. Consuming information, entertainment and products. Waiting for someone else to tell you what to watch, what to do, what to eat and what to say.
There’s nothing independent or grown up about that.
So here’s a new question.
When was the last time you wrote a book or a blog post?
When was the last time you played an instrument, wrote a song, painted, or played your favorite sport?
When was the last time you worked alongside nature and grew food?
Cooked your own Michelin star-worthy 3 course meal?
Sewed your own t-shirt or hammered your own bookshelf together?
It’s called Creation. Becoming your own creator.
I spent years reading other people’s blogs, books, you name it, wondering what it would feel like to do just that for myself. You see, I had always dreamed of being writer, and yes, I dreamed so hard. I read so much. I did everything except write.
Instead, I gloated. I complained about the unfairness of why everyone else was doing what I wanted to be doing. I thought smugly to myself – I could do a far better job.
So why wasn’t I? What or WHO was stopping me?
But I just… but…I…. but… I….
I had so many excuses why I wasn’t doing any of it myself but no real reason why I couldn’t just start.
Dreaming harder doesn’t get you any closer to your dreams.
Consuming MORE doesn’t produce the result you really desire.
The action of DOING does.
Take it from someone who has now ripped up her excuses and burned them. I started that blog (this blog). I wrote that damn book. And you know what, I did it as much for myself as anyone else. Sure, my intention has shifted now to helping as many people as I can in the process but that only came after the fact. For you see, if I didn’t get this out, or do something with this burning desire to create, which is what makes us so humanly precious…. then I was going to walk through the rest of my life experiencing a long, and slow, soul-crushing death while waiting for the years to catch up.
And having done it now, I’m so much more confident and inspired for the next soul-exploding project.
Having your skin in the game and participating in the process of creation is far more enjoyable and rewarding than simply spending your whole life passively consuming. This is what has gotten us stuck in the modern consumerist mindset of more, more, more. Because when you spend all of your time just consuming, your soul is never really satisfied. It’s temporary bliss that wears off sooner than you can flick channels or shout your team chant.
You need to get your hands dirty. Put your heart on the line. Step out into the unknown. Pour your energy into something regardless of the end result.
That’s soul thirst-quenching.
You may even learn a few things along the way.
Respect for the process.
Appreciation for the hard work and energy.
Satisfaction in creating something using your own hands.
Surprise in discovering long lost skills or hidden workmanship.
Enjoyment in seeing something created from start to finish.
What’s one project you’ve been meaning to create that you’re going to take action on this week?
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